Protect your Pool from the Sun

Us Aussies are a sun loving bunch; even through the winter months, we are mostly blessed with clear blue skies. While perfect weather is great for our mood, we all know the dangers of too much sun exposure. But have you ever thought about the effect the sun’s UV rays might have on your pool?

Protect your pool this summer with these great sunscreen products available at your nearest Swimart.

It may seem like an odd concept; sunscreen for your pool? But the reason your pool needs this product is quite similar to why we use it ourselves.

“UV rays can be very damaging to our bodies, and so we apply sunscreen to our skin to minimise this impact,” says Chris Fitzmaurice, Swimart Australasian manager. “Pool sunscreen works in the same way, helping to reduce the impact the sun has on your pool and the chemicals in it.”

Most of our pools will be exposed to a great deal of direct sunlight all year round; however, in the summer months, the amount and intensity of direct intense sunlight your pool is exposed to rises dramatically.

This is a problem for your pool for two reasons:

• UV rays have the capability to destroy up to 30 per cent of the chemical every hour. This means you have to top up the chlorine levels much more regularly than usual, which is both a hassle and expensive to maintain.
• The drop in the concentration of chlorine in the pool then encourages the growth of algae or harmful bacteria, some of which need specialist treatment and can be very hard to get rid of.

A sunscreen product prevents this damage to your pool’s chlorine levels.

Swimart stocks Aqua Health’s pool sunscreen range, which is extremely easy to use; just pour in the amount specified on the product for the size of your pool and that’s it. Checking the sunscreen levels in your pool can save you heaps of money and time putting extra chlorine in the water. Bring a water sample into your nearest Swimart store and we can test it for you.

Don’t forget sunscreen for yourself!

Before jumping into your backyard pool, ensure your family is safe from the sun as well. For the best coverage, make sure your sunscreen is broad spectrum and SPF 30+. Check the use by date on the sunscreen you have buried in the depths of your cupboard, as out-of-date products lose their effectiveness. For use in and around the pool, it is important to remember to re-apply sunscreen after swimming.

Other articles in this edition:

Summer Entertaining around the Pool

Peace of Mind for the Holidays

Pool Water Features

Swimart's Gift Guide for Pool Lovers